Walmart coordinates with DirectHealth.com to launch Healthcare Begins Here, an in-store program that will educate customers to health insurance information and to provide help in enrollment.
The goal of the program is to bring "transparency and simplicity" with regards to the changing landscape of the health insurance industry. Healthcare Begins Here will provide expert knowledge advice and knowledge on health care options to Walmart customers.
DirectHealth.com is an insurance plan comparison website and an independent licensed health insurance agency. With Walmart, they help customers to come up with the best insurance coverage for them-either Medicare plan or Public Healthcare Exchange-through online, phone, and in-store services.
Labeed Diab, Health & Wellness, Walmart U.S. senior vice president and president, said in a press release posted on the website that customers have been telling them that choosing the right insurance plan is too complex. They hope that the program can bring clarity to the customers with more choices and provide easier enrollment process with the help of DirectHealth.com.
"Walmart has long been known for innovation in health and wellness, and we'll never stop delivering new products and services to the 140 million people who visit our stores each week."
According to the press release, licensed agents from DirectHealth.com will staff 2,700 Walmart stores to provide in-store guidance in health care insurance options.
For customers over 65, there are about 1,700 plans from 12 leading carriers such as UnitedHealthcare and Human. Enrollment will take place from October 15, 2014 till December 7, 2014. While for customers under 65, more than 300 leading health insurance carriers can provide insurance plans. The enrollment period for the Health Insurance Marketplace will start on November 15, 2014 and ends on February 15, 2015.
Diab told Associated Press that Walmart won't be getting commissions from the insurance plans sold and DirectHealth.com shoulders most of the cost in operating the program.
Television, radio, and in-store promotions of the program will be launched this month.
